The Black Partner Growth Initiative

In 2020, we committed to a five-year focus (Racial Equity Initiative or “REI”) to address racial injustice in the United States and helping to improve the lived experiences of our employees and the communities in which we live and work. The Black Partners Growth Initiative (BPGI) was launched as part of REI in service to the partner community to enable entities that self-identify as majority Black-owned or Black-led Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program (MAICPP) members to access resources that aid their integration into the Microsoft ecosystem and to encourage business growth Since its launch, BPGI has engaged more than 1,450 partners through technical enablement, go-to-market readiness, and community programming through cohorts and accelerators. Partners supported through BPGI have published over 500 transactable offers, participated in co-sell motions, and gained increased visibility across Microsoft solution areas and field engagement efforts, increasing revenue collectively YoY by 328%.

Not at all. Partners who are currently members of BPGI have always had access to the same resources and opportunities available to all MAICPP members. As a reminder, MAICPP offers its members a portfolio of tools, resources, and offerings to help partners meet evolving customer opportunities, innovate for any cloud scenario on an extensible platform, join a community of partners committed to serving customers, and deliver successful solutions to industries and markets. You are still a member of Microsoft’s MAICPP and will continue to have access to those resources.

What is Not Changing?

• MAICPP membership access to:
• Networking events to facilitate community building
• Workshops that focus on business growth for MAICPP members.
• Microsoft solution areas expertise and skilling.

• Microsoft’s commitment to its core values and a healthy and inclusive partner ecosystem.

What is Changing?

• There will no longer be a BPGI Cohort and no new BPGI cohorts will be formed. Current cohorts will conclude on July 1, 2025. We are proud of the collective accomplishments and business growth driven by BPGI members. All partners will continue to have access to MAICPP benefits, resources, and platforms.
• Our payment solutions program and partner fund (the Microsoft Partner Solutions Fund) will be discontinued after July 1, 2025. While this fund was not exclusive to BPGI – in fact, all MAICPP members have access to it – we know this was a highly valued benefit for this community. Please continue to work with your applicable third-party lender to manage your account and determine next steps. We are proud we have met our goal of almost $70M in funding deployed.
• Dedicated Microsoft team members will no longer provide personalized guidance and support. Nevertheless, the MAICPP program is structured to offer robust support for business growth. MAICPP will persist in investing in initiatives that promote business development, expand customer reach, and enhance technical skills and enablement.

The entrepreneurial connections built and knowledge shared through BPGI engagement are invaluable. Please do stay connected with partners in your cohort. We encourage everyone to continue meeting and supporting each other. Our collective growth and collaboration do not have to stop here. Let us keep the momentum going and continue to inspire and learn from one another. Creating more access for partners will remain an ongoing mission for us; so please come together and leverage the tools and resources that we make available to you.

We also encourage you to explore partner-led community groups shared in the Microsoft Tech Community, for continued peer-to-peer connections and support. This is the Microsoft Partner Community, an online platform within the Microsoft Tech Community. Here, partners from around the world connect, collaborate, and share insights with peers and Microsoft experts.

We are committed to our culture, our values, and our mission. We know our ability to empower every person and every organization on the planet depends on our ability to make sure everyone has the opportunity to contribute and grow.

Microsoft will continue to comply with all legal requirements and review our compliance approach as regulations develop across the globe, as we always have done.